Quick Takes: Movies worth checking out

Published: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 at 02:57 PM.

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“Dallas Buyers Club”– starring Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner and Jared Leto – is another strong Oscar contender. McConaughey delivers an impressive and transformative performance, and Leto does a fantastic job as well. It’s a riveting story of a man who goes from only thinking about himself to fighting for his life as well as the lives of others with AIDS.

“12 Years a Slave”– starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender – is an extremely hard film to watch about our nation’s brutal and disgusting past. But nonetheless, it’s a story that desperately needed to be told, and one that’s told extremely well. The movie flawlessly depicts heartbreak and courage, and Ejiofor’s portrayal of the lead character is nothing short of outstanding.

I wasn’t particularly excited going into seeing “Lone Survivor” – starring Mark Wahlberg and Taylor Kitsch – but it left quite an impression on me. I don’t know much about military tactics and behavior, but the movie seemed to put a lot of thought into accuracy and realism. The movie is violent and gruesome, but it also contained a degree of humanity and compassion that I didn’t anticipate.

ON DVD

I’m a fan of Will Ferrell, but “The Campaign” (2012) – also starring Zach Galifianakis – was not my favorite. It had its moments, such as the hilarious dinner table scene with Marty and his family, but it just wasn’t enough for me. In the end, it fell a little flat, and I was hoping for more genuine laughs and quotable scenes from the experience.

“People Like Us”(2012) – starring Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks – isn’t a happy movie, but it’s one that really gets to the heart of family relationships. Pine and Banks did a great job with their uncharacteristically serious roles, and they had me really rooting for things to work out for the best. Michael Hall D’Addario, Michelle Pfeiffer and Olivia Wilde shined as supporting characters.

“Dallas Buyers Club”– starring Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner and Jared Leto – is another strong Oscar contender. McConaughey delivers an impressive and transformative performance, and Leto does a fantastic job as well. It’s a riveting story of a man who goes from only thinking about himself to fighting for his life as well as the lives of others with AIDS.

“12 Years a Slave”– starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender – is an extremely hard film to watch about our nation’s brutal and disgusting past. But nonetheless, it’s a story that desperately needed to be told, and one that’s told extremely well. The movie flawlessly depicts heartbreak and courage, and Ejiofor’s portrayal of the lead character is nothing short of outstanding.

I wasn’t particularly excited going into seeing “Lone Survivor” – starring Mark Wahlberg and Taylor Kitsch – but it left quite an impression on me. I don’t know much about military tactics and behavior, but the movie seemed to put a lot of thought into accuracy and realism. The movie is violent and gruesome, but it also contained a degree of humanity and compassion that I didn’t anticipate.

ON DVD

I’m a fan of Will Ferrell, but “The Campaign” (2012) – also starring Zach Galifianakis – was not my favorite. It had its moments, such as the hilarious dinner table scene with Marty and his family, but it just wasn’t enough for me. In the end, it fell a little flat, and I was hoping for more genuine laughs and quotable scenes from the experience.

“People Like Us”(2012) – starring Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks – isn’t a happy movie, but it’s one that really gets to the heart of family relationships. Pine and Banks did a great job with their uncharacteristically serious roles, and they had me really rooting for things to work out for the best. Michael Hall D’Addario, Michelle Pfeiffer and Olivia Wilde shined as supporting characters.

These items originally appeared in Andrea Honaker’s blog, “Life Lessons and Loves,” at gastongazette.com. Follow her blog for entertainment news, lifestyle trends and a variety of topics from food to family.